Samsung opens up home screen advertising to all brands

Samsung Ads has made home screen advertising (on Samsung smart TVs) available to non-content and non-games brands for the first time.

The company says this reflects the importance of home screen ads as a way to capture audiences from the moment they switch on the TV.

Their ‘Behind the Screens’ report revealed this year that Samsung smart TV viewers visit the home screen more than five times a day on average, while searching for content.

Samsung Ads, which is the advertising arm of Samsung Electronics’ media division, argues that this makes the home screen “vital” inventory for brand advertising.

Earlier this year the company commissioned the strategy and insights consulting firm MTM to study the effectiveness of home screen ads. The results, just released, show a 10% uplift in purchase intent among viewers who saw brand advertising on the Samsung home screen masthead at least once, compared to a non-exposed group.

One-in-three people report an improved perception of brands who advertise on the home screen.

The study involved 5,000 users in the UK and Germany during February to May and was based on natural viewing in consumer homes. The consumers participated in a survey (via a privacy-compliant data match to online research panels). Samsung technology showed who had been exposed to the ads.

“The home screen is an incredibly powerful advertising channel and a way for any brand to cut through the CTV noise and claim the attention of audiences,” declares Alex Hole, SVP and general manager, Samsung Europe and MENA. “Content and gaming advertisers have already discovered this, and now brands from other sectors can join them.

Uplift in purchase intent

“The MTM study spells out the dramatic impact of home screen ads on purchase intent and awareness, and it clearly shows the multiplier effect that kicks in when brands combine advertising on the home screen with advertising on Samsung TV Plus.”

Hole is referring to additional data from the MTM study showing what happens when in-stream ads within Samsung-curated free streaming channels are combined with home screen advertising.

This combination lifts spontaneous awareness by 16% compared to using home screen ads only. It lifts first-mention brand consideration by 13% vs home screen ads only, while positive sentiment towards an advertiser rises 30% vs home screen only. However, Samsung Ads would not share the total uplift for home screen plus streaming ads (vs non-exposed viewers) or the home-screen only figures for these metrics.

The company did say: “We found that both Samsung TV Plus and the home screen played a distinct and complementary role. We were pleased to see the positive impact for Samsung TV Plus and home screen working together when compared to a non-exposed group.

“As CTV opens up a new era of TV advertising, advertisers are seeking to combine streaming ads with native placements for far greater impact.”

Also published in: The Media Leader